Truth and Consequences

So I am going to be really honest now,
  I saw this weekend's SL secrets. I dont normally read them, I am a pretty in your face person if I have something to say to someone, I say it. So posting anything anonymously is kind of not my style if you know what I mean.
  Anyway this weeks secrets is about many thing but number 2 and 3 are about me, namingly my store Tiny Spaces. I have devoted many hours over the past 2 and a half years to learning mainly how to texture sculpts and prims, work prim ovens and how to pose things to create realistic and fun role playing environments for families and most importantly the children of Second Life. I have been really blessed to meet some really talented folk in my tenure in SL, and learned things that I take a lot of pride in.
  When Mesh became a thing in SL, I attempted like so many others to learn how to make mesh with blender but I was hopelessly lost and confused. I called on my RL cousin who knows about 3d modeling but he never used blender as well as loathes SL in general he feels it is a waste of space. So in the end he offered me a bunch of meshes to rip apart and use for my store. I in my trying to find things on 3d models came across turbosquid.com and saw all these amazing free and affordable models for people to use. So I took a few free ones and purchased a few others and yes I sold them in my store.
  Someone I considered a friend came to me the other day and informed me that in fact using those models is against the SL Terms of Service, showed me where it said it and I immediately went in my store and removed the models and took them off my marketplace store as well. I felt this would rectify the situation, apparently I was wrong.
  I am truly sorry if people felt misled by anything I sold in my store. I never once claimed to be the creator of the meshes, I did create my textures on all the items with the exception of a set of chairs and table with rockers, those came with the mesh set. I am not a thief, a thief would be someone who stole items from somewhere, I used items that were provided free to the general public on a royalty free website and as well as items purchased for commercial use.As for the other items, they were given to me by the person who owned them and/or created them and that is going to be the last thing I can say on this subject.
  I have closed my store not because I think what I did was wrong. I made a mistake, I tried to rectify it but that was apparently not enough. I closed my store because I know though whomever these people are who started this and can not stand in the light and be an adult about it, those people no matter what I do will not be satisfied. I could learn Maya tomorrow and create completely 100% original items not inspired by anything and still they would claim that I took it from something. I stand by the 99% of my store that has nothing to do with these turbosquid items, the items I put time and effort into texturing and working hard on. I baked every texture myself, I usually created those textures with my own hands using photoshop. I truly enjoyed providing quality products to people and did my best to help other creators in the community to make amazing things as well.
  Sadly I dont even have anger toward these people, they have their own reasons for causing all this drama for so many people. I highly doubt it has much with their desire to be right and honest and more to do with something less desirable, but that is for their conscience to sort out. I forgive them without their apology. I just want to be happy and I will do what I can to achieve that with or without building children's furniture.
  This isn't the end by no means, this is an opportunity to learn something new, remember that there is a reason to not trust everyone who smiles at you and move on. Nothing you do can take from me the things that truly matter. I have an amazing core family of people in SL I love dearly. They have taught me how amazing it is that people can stand beside you even when you are under attack. I am not really used to that, people usually jump on the bandwagon and leave. So I will end this by thanking them and telling them how very much I love them. And for you who read this blog thanks so much and I hope I havent disapointed you too much.

Have an amazing night,

XOXO,
Brie